Oakland ‘Painted Rock’ tradition harms ecosystem, sixth-grader finds

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Oakland sixth grader Cameron Cox tests the water that runs off the
“painted rock” at Marjorie Saunders Park. Cox, 12, found that often times
people use toxic paint on the rock, which pollutes the watershed. (Photo
courtesy of Cox)

The “Painted Rock” is a popular, well-known landmark at Marjorie Saunders Park near Piedmont Pines often fully painted with birthday or anniversary messages.

But while many see it as a sweet way to give a loved one a shout-out, an Oakland sixth-grader found that the toxic paint has a not-so-sweet effect on the local ecosystem.

After passing by the rock nearly every day on her way to school, 12-year-old Cameron Cox, decided to test the water that runs off the rock into a creek for a Bentley School project, and found harmfully high levels of levels of acetone, butanone, benzene and other volatile compounds.

The water that Cox sampled flows into the Sausal Creek, and when it rains heavily, could flow into the estuary of the San Francisco Bay, she said.

“It’s disgusting, because one gallon of paint can contaminate up to one million gallons of water, and that can cause cancer for the people who eat the fish that are caught in the bay,” Cox said in an interview. “Also, birds eat the fish, and so birds can get all these chemicals in them.”

Since she started the project in January, Cox has gathered 100 signatures on a petition to get the city to enforce the law that forbids people from engaging in activities that result in pollutants entering the city’s storm sewer system at the painted rock. She also put up a sign near the rock stating the law and plans to put up a banner on Earth Day, April 22.

“I didn’t know that it was illegal (to paint the rock) when I started this project, and probably a lot of people don’t know that,” Cox said.

She has talked to city officials about the issue, suggesting the city deem the rock a public nuisance, and allocate funding to clean up the site.

Oakland city councilwoman Annie Campbell Washington, whose district includes Marjorie Saunders Park, said she shares Cox’s concerns, and intends to hear her out and consider her ideas for solutions.

“The Painted Rock in Marjorie Saunders Park is a community tradition that has persisted for over 50 years. … When the tradition began, our collective awareness regarding the environment, and the negative impact our actions can have, was not as prevalent as today,” Campbell Washington said via email.

“The runoff from the paint contains toxins and pollutes the watershed. I believe in honoring tradition, but not at the environment’s expense. We applaud Cameron’s efforts to educate and improve our community. She is an amazing young leader. I wholeheartedly support an environmentally-sound solution — perhaps chalk, or a biodegradable, environmentally-friendly alternative can be used,” the councilwoman said.